SMASHING speed limits by as much as 50mph, these are some of the region’s worst danger drivers.

The Chronicle today reveals the motorists caught doing the highest speeds on our roads over the last year.

In the most extreme case, one car was snared reaching speeds of 80mph in a 30 zone in the middle of the day.

The Subaru was travelling along Springwell Road in Sunderland at around 2.30pm when it was clocked by a mobile speed camera. And on the A692 Church Street in Gateshead, a Volkswagon Golf driver was caught doing 74mph in a 30 zone.

Our probe comes as we also expose a rogue’s gallery of motorists who continue to talk on mobile phones while behind the wheel.

Jeremy Forsberg, of the Northumbria Safer Road Initiative, said: “These are outrageous speeds and are a senseless and blatant disregard for other people’s safety.

“Exceeding the speed limit, even marginally can have devastating effects. The energy dissipated in a collision at 80mph is six times greater than the energy dissipated in a collision at 30mph, so any resulting injuries and casualties would be far more devastating at this outrageous speed.

“These speeds are killer speeds. They are stupid, dangerous and criminal.”

For our probe, we asked for the highest speeds drivers had been caught at on each category of road in the region.

The worst case in a 30mph zone was the motorist photographed at 80mph. The driver got a £100 fine with costs of £35 and a six-month driving ban.

The driver caught at 74mph got the same disqualification, as well as a £115 fine and costs of £45. The worst case in a 50mph zone was on the A695 Chainbridge Road, Blaydon, Gateshead, where the driver was clocked doing 81mph. He got a £207 fine, a £55 costs order and six penalty points.

And on a 70mph road, the highest speeder over the last year was seen doing was 101mph on the A69 at the Two Mile Cottages near Hexham.

Mr Forsberg said: “These drivers clearly have no respect for others or the law. Speed limits are there for a reason and are the law. At these speeds they knew they were exceeding the speed limit and knew they were breaking the law.

“It shows a complete disregard for the safety of others on the road. It is even worse that these were at known collision hotspots.

“It is a particular slap in the face to the victims of collisions on Northumbria’s Roads.

“Most people don’t realise how much of a difference speeds make.

“A vehicle travelling at 40mph takes an additional three car lengths to stop compared with a vehicle travelling at 30mph. A big difference to a pedestrian who needs one car length to keep them from being hit.

“A vehicle travelling at 80mph in a in 30mph would take the length of a football pitch extra to stop compared with a vehicle sticking to the limit.

“Even the best drivers in the world couldn’t avoid danger at those speeds on these types of roads. Sticking to the speed limit is no great mystery.

“Driving is not a passive activity and drivers must be engaged in what they are doing, keeping focused and to the limit.

“There are enough dangers on the roads to want to add to them by speeding.

“All of us need to have a little more Road Respect to ensure our roads are better and safer to drive.”

Worst spot for speeders

THE speed camera in the North East which has caught the most motorists over the last three years has been revealed.

Figures show more drivers were prosecuted after being snapped by the camera on the A69 at Haydon Bridge, Northumberland, than anywhere else.

The data, released under the Freedom of Information Act, shows there were 5,808 offences detected by the camera last year, which made it the most prolific in the Northumbria force area.

It also finished top of the league the year before, with 10,754 offences detected, and the year before, when 12,594 people were prosecuted.

The figures related to Notices of Intended Prosecution (NIP) being issued to motorists after being photographed by the device.

Jeremy Forsberg, of the Northumbria Safer Roads Initiative, said: "It is disappointing that so many motorists were caught speeding through Haydon Bridge, particularly past a junction because many wanted to speed up before the change in the speed limit.

"However, it must be noted that the vast majority of motorists complied with the speed limit recognising the dangers.

"Less that 1% of the traffic was detected speeding, which is very low. We have also offered many of those detected the opportunity to attend a Speed Awareness Course as alternative to three penalty points and way to help many understand the full implications of speeding, particularly in 30mph limits where there are many vulnerable road users.

"We do not expect the camera to maintain those numbers given the new by-pass, which will hopefully mean less traffic through Haydon Bridge and safer roads for the community."